1 Corinthians 3:11-13 (ESV)
[11] For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold,
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s
work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be
revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
Spiritual intimidation is an ugly thing. The Apostle Paul wrote about the
complimentary ministries of Paul and Apollos. They had different giftings—different
callings, but both of their ministries were valid and effective. Paul was not
intimidated by Apollos. Neither did Paul attempt to intimidate Apollos. Paul
recognized that they each had an important part to play in the spiritual journey
of the Corinthian believers. Paul wrote, “Like a skilled master builder I laid
a foundation, and someone else is building upon it” (1 Cor 3:10). He was not
concerned about who was doing the building, or who got the credit. He was
concerned about how they built.
It
is easy for pastors to become frustrated and even jealous when members of the
congregation speak highly of former pastors but never affirm their current
pastor. It is disheartening when a pastor pours his heart into his ministry
only to hear his congregation quoting some television or internet pastor that
they listen to every day. But that is our own insecurities as pastors.
Congregations can help encourage their pastors, but pastors need to learn to
celebrate the builders that God uses in the lives of those they serve.
Sometimes that is hard to do.
But
that brings us to the real issue of the text. As believers in Jesus Christ a
foundation has been laid. Jesus is the foundation. We are God’s field, God’s
building, God’s temple (see 1 Cor 3:9, 16). How that temple is being built is
more important than who is doing the building. Spiritual intimidation is an
ugly thing, but there is something even more ugly. A straw house built on the
foundation of a mansion is just not right. Yet too often that is what we are doing.
As believers we have this incredible foundation upon which to build. How do we
build on it? How do we grow? Or do we?
There is a day when all of that will
come to light. I fear that too often we are satisfied to whitewash a straw
house and call it a mansion. We build with that which will not last and pretend
that it is eternal. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ then someone laid a solid
foundation for you upon which you can build. How you build will one day be
exposed. Spiritual intimidation is ugly, but failing to build a mansion on the
incredible foundation of Christ is inexcusable and has eternal consequences. How are you building today?
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